Traditionally, battery charging algorithms have been optimized to achieve minimal possible charging time given the available current of an AC adaptor. A constant current/constant voltage (CC/CV) charging method satisfies this criteria. However, in many cases, charging in a minimal charging time brings no significant benefit to the application, while using a pre-defined acceptable charging time would be sufficient. In addition, minimizing the charging time has detrimental effects on the battery aging rate, because of the high temperature, high voltage and/or lithium plating periods that coincide in traditional CC/CV charging which accelerate battery degradation.
Previous attempts to reduce battery aging during charging were focused on some isolated factors affecting degradation, for example, by reducing charging voltage. Some attempts to make optimization of multiple parameters are not based on a realistic model of battery aging that is conformed and refined using empirical data, and are not based on full battery characterization data that assures accurate voltage and temperature modeling under arbitrary conditions. Some of the degradation models need access to detailed information about battery cell chemistry and composition and are therefore not practical for mass adoption that requires standardization of obtaining the parameters. There has not been a solution that finds all the conditions that guaranty absolute minimum degradation.
There is desired a solution that provides a charge profile creating minimal battery degradation for a given charging time and a maximal AC adaptor power, and provides improved battery life.